


Van Scene

by Gamebird



Category: The Old Guard (Movie 2020)
Genre: Gen, Missing Scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-27
Updated: 2020-10-27
Packaged: 2021-03-08 17:21:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 948
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27230383
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gamebird/pseuds/Gamebird
Summary: A short missing scene of what happened in the van after the kiss and before the doors were opened at the airport.
Comments: 6
Kudos: 52





	Van Scene

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to address a few things, like why they were still bound when they arrived at the airport even though they only had zip ties in the movie. Mainly that I write they had more than zip ties and they discuss their options during the very short ride to the very nearby airport.

"No, no, no, no!" The last goon quailed back as far as possible, catching up against the corner of the armored van.

Joe took another step forward, or tried to. The chain between his feet snagged on something behind him. He teetered and jerked his hands up and to the side, getting his balance again. Since the guard was still cringing, he spared a glance behind him. The chain was around the tip of another guard's boot. Joe freed it. He turned back to his earlier target. The guard tried to shrink in on himself. He was a big man, like they all were. People were so big these days. Big or not, the fight had left him.

With a snort of disgust, Joe turned away. Nicky was busily searching one of the incapacitated guards near the rear of the van, opening pouches and patting down pockets. He paused to meet Joe's eyes, then glance past him at the remaining conscious guard. There was a question in his look.

Joe shrugged. "You know I don't like to kill them when they're cowering."

Nicky's faint, barely-there smile made an appearance. "He's still armed."

Joe looked back. The guard hadn't moved. Both hands were visible, palms out in front of his face. His knees were as drawn up as the heavy gear and body armor allowed. But yeah, he was still armed. Joe ignored him to crouch and search the guard at his feet.

The van swayed and lurched as it hit either a pothole or a curb. Behind Joe, a body shifted and fell to the floor. Nicky made an exasperated sound and moved to the side out of the way of what was probably a corpse. There was a clank and a clatter. A grenade rolled against the side of Joe's boot. His eyes darted to the source. Between him and the guard in the corner was a gun on the floor, a magazine, and another grenade. The guard was reaching at his side.

Joe lunged. The guard dropped the knife he was pulling and his hands flashed back to his face. "No, no, no! Please no! No!"

Inches from him, Joe hesitated as he realized all the weapons the man had divested himself of had not been used against them. He took the risk of looking back at the grenade or flash-bang or whatever that had rolled against his foot. It was intact, pin in place, harmless.

In a very small voice, the guard said, "I'm not armed. Not anymore."

The man had not yet wet himself. Joe gave him a dry chuckle and backed off. This was no longer an enemy. He slumped on the seat near Nicky. Nicky addressed the guard, "Where are the keys that will release these chains?" He lifted his bound hands. The zip ties they could have dealt with, but steel cuffs had been slapped over the top of them.

The guard shook his head. "We don't have them."

"You don't have them?" The guard shook his head again. Nicky asked, "What about to open the van?"

Another negative head-shake. The guard relaxed a little from his defensive ball. "The restraints aren't part of our normal gear. Keane gave them to us. He'd have the key."

"Where are they taking us?" Nicky continued the interrogation. Joe watched the guy idly.

"To the airport."

"Where after that?" Joe put in with emphasis.

"I don't know!" Fear suffused the guard's voice. "An airplane. We weren't told."

"You weren't told," Nicky said unhappily. "You didn't ask?"

The guard hesitated as though at a loss for words. Joe said philosophically, "Some things you don't ask." He looked to Nicky. It was his impression the guy was telling the truth – just a dumb goon following orders. He was sure Nicky would read that in Joe's face.

The guard said, "I was a little more hung up on the claim we were taking people who couldn't die."

Nicky huffed. "We can die." He picked up a gun and checked the chamber.

"You can? How?"

The van came to a stop. Nicky and Joe glanced around, but there was no frame of reference for what was happening outside. After a moment, it started forward again, making a turn. Nicky said, "We will each die of something, some day." To Joe, he said, "Do you think I could damage this by shooting it?" He moved his wrists.

Joe shook his head. "They are hardened steel these days. The lead would just bounce off."

The guard said, "Is it like Achilles?"

Both of their heads whipped up to look at him, like the name was familiar and they didn't expect him to use it. "Achilles?" Nicky asked, guarded.

"Yeah," the guard said. "The myth of Achilles. He was dunked in a river by his mom or someone and it made him in- inv- immune to damage except for his heel where she held him. Like, there's a spot on you where … um …" He fell silent.

They both relaxed. Joe laughed. "No. That is not how it works."

Nicky said, "I could cut off a hand." He showed his bound wrists. Taking off his hand would mean he was free of the restraints. Joe winced at the prospect. The van stopped, turned, and reversed, only to stop again. Outside, there was a distant rumble that might have been a jet. Nicky said, "I think we're here."

Joe said, "You would not have time to regrow it."

The guard said, "I'm just going to pretend you knocked me out, okay?"

Neither of them answered as the guard assumed a sprawled position. They turned at the sound of keys in the rear doors.


End file.
